Kelly is volunteering with the Human Library Champaign-Urbana with the title “late life autism diagnosis.” She says, “From early childhood, I accepted that I was a quirky and sometimes challenging person, but these qualities were balanced against significant gifts. I got married to my college sweetheart, earned a doctorate, pursued a career, and had a […]

Chris is volunteering for the Human Library Champaign-Urbana with the title “childhood cancer.” When asked why it is important for people with his title to volunteer, Chris said “Most people don’t necessarily know all aspects that make up an individual’s life. I was diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of five, went into remission at eight, […]

Kai is volunteering for the Human Library Champaign-Urbana with the title “transgender (non-binary).” When asked about his title, Kai said When I first came out, I decided I was going to be open instead of taking the safer “stealth” route. It’s not something a lot of people understand, and I think that putting a face to it […]

Natasha is volunteering for the Human Library Champaign-Urbana with the title “vegan athlete.” When asked about her title, Natasha said “a lot of people have the misconception that vegans are (a) really pushy about it and (b) weak and underweight. I am neither of these.”

Eddy is volunteering for the Human Library Champaign-Urbana with the title “Mexican immigrant family.” Eddy said “I think it is very important that someone with my book title should volunteer with the Human Library because since the recent election, a growing hostility towards Mexicans, particularly Mexican immigrants, have caused a rift in the American people. From ICE […]

Sue is volunteering for the Human Library Champaign-Urbana with the title “herpes.” When asked why she felt it was important for someone with her title to volunteer, Sue said “Herpes is a common but also commonly misunderstood infection. Research indicates that between one in two to one in six sexually active adults have HSV-1 or HSV-2. In […]

AJ is volunteering for the Human Library Champaign-Urbana with the title “bullied.” When asked about his title, AJ said “Bullying is a deeply ingrained notion in schooling. As someone who has been bullied from grade 1 to grade 12, this story knows the ins and outs of bullying and wants to share how to overcome […]

I have type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes, and in addition to the daily management of the illness, I also have to work against stigmas surrounding diabetes. People with diabetes are frequently the butt of a joke in the media, or we’re asked why we can’t just “reverse” the illness by eating better; both of these […]

Kay is volunteering for the Human Library Champaign-Urbana with the title “polyamorous.” When asked why she felt it was important for someone with her title to volunteer, Kay said “Polyamory is a misunderstood term. People often think of plural relationships in the context of oppressive religious cults or countries. However, polyamory is a freeing and […]

Mike is volunteering for the Human Library Champaign-Urbana with the title ‘police officer” When asked why he felt it was important to volunteer, Mike said “Most people see police officers as ‘enforcers of the law.’ However there is another side, and perhaps a better term is ‘peace officer.’ I have been in this field for over […]

I think it’s important to share my story of being Bullied. This is why I graduated from high school at 20. I was bullied not just by kids my age but adults as well. I was told not to finish high school, to just get a GED and get on Welfare. With all that’s going […]

Kim is volunteering for the Human Library Champaign-Urbana with the title ‘Female Martial Artists.’ When asked why she felt it was important to volunteer, Kim said “Brazilian Jiu jitsu is a male dominated sport associated with grappling/wrestling type movements. Due to the types of physical contact which occur, the sport greatly lends itself to self defense, […]

Mary is volunteering for the Human Library Champaign-Urbana with the title ‘Physical Disability.’ When asked why she felt it was important to volunteer, Mary said “Physical Disability has only recently become visible to the public at large. That being said, I think it’s important to capitalize on that visibility and show that we are more than […]

Shannon is volunteering for the Human Library Champaign-Urbana with the title ‘Woman in Technology.’ When asked why she felt it was important to volunteer, Shannon said “Women are historically underrepresented in technical fields. In fact, the percentage of women in technical roles is steadily decreasing. Stereotypes in math and science often pressure young girls to pursue other […]

Quinn is volunteering for the Human Library Champaign-Urbana with the title ‘Austism Spectrum “Disorder”.’ When asked why he felt it was important to volunteer, Quinn said “There are roughly as many autistics in America as there are Jewish people, yet autism is just now beginning to be recognized as an identity and less as a disorder. The […]

Joe is volunteering for the Human Library Champaign-Urbana with the title ‘Air Force Veteran.’ When asked why he felt it was important to volunteer, Joe said “The effects of military service, war, or trauma manifest differently in each airman, Marine, sailor, or soldier. This diversity, however, is not well represented in popular or news media. I would […]

I’ve suffered a miscarriage, and I know the deep pain it causes. What I don’t understand is why there is such a social stigma surrounding miscarriages and why family members often do not openly discuss it until it happens. In this human book interaction, we can discuss the stigma surrounding miscarriage, your thoughts about miscarriage, […]

When I was young, I was diagnosed with delayed motor and social skills (with the possibility of having Asperger’s Syndrome) and pulled out of my classroom for extra help. My peers bullied me, though they didn’t know why; they just knew I was different somehow. The saddest part is that it was most likely because […]

Men are not very present in the public dialogue on eating disorders. People also make assumptions about what people with eating disorders look like. I don’t really fit any of those physical stereotypes, and I want to help deconstruct and destigmatize the stereotypes of people with disordered eating. I would like to explore and share […]

There is a large misunderstanding about LGBT people, especially in rural areas. As a gay woman, I encounter a lot of misogyny and sexual harassment on top of homophobia. Even though there is an LGBT “community,” each unique individual, as well as each type of identity, will have their own unique experience.

While we often think of PTSD as a condition of veterans, it can also occur from extensive bullying and emotional neglect. When you’ve been bullied and neglected, you feel like you are the only one so talking with someone who has had similar experiences to you can be a revelation. Promoting understanding of this perspective […]

Recent research says that 1.6% of Americans have Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). This disorder is one even therapists can be reluctant to treat, because of many of the characteristics. Those with BPD feel emotions more strongly than others and swing from one extreme emotion to the next, and many able bodied people say they’re too […]

Zaid is volunteering for the Human Library Champaign-Urbana with the title ‘Black Muslim.’ When asked why he felt it was important to volunteer, Zaid said “I represent a receding form of Islamic representation in America as a Black American born Muslim. The community in which I was raised stems from the Nation of Islam, which brings a […]